Simple Changes Your Bathroom Might Need

In many ways, you get the biggest bang for your buck with a simple makeover. An outdated color scheme, old mildew-spotted paint, and pitted or rusty fixtures can make an otherwise usable bathroom look like the restroom at the local truck stop. A few basic changes can breathe new life into and create a fresh clean odor in the dingiest of bathrooms. Depending on the state of your loo, you may decide to choose one of these scenarios or combine several for a complete makeover. If you decide that new paint and wallpaper and a vanity and countertop swap will fill the bill, add the cost for the two projects together.

The difference in price between a basic remodeling project and a deluxe job depends on the type of materials you choose. In most cases, choosing the best materials you can afford works out in the long run to give you the best return on your investment.

Changing the paint or wallpaper

Bathroom color schemes come and go, and if yours has gone, some paint or wallpaper can be a remarkable improvement. Of course, you may be faced with finding a color and pattern to match a turquoise tub and toilet, but be assured, there are hundreds of them to choose from. Although the bathroom isn’t a large room, painting or wallpapering in tight quarters takes time. Expect to pay $300 to $600 to have a typical bathroom painted and new wallpaper hung. This work is labor intensive, so if you do the work, you could cut this figure in half. The largest variable is the price of wallpaper.

Replacing the vanity and countertop

If your bathroom vanity is showing its age, a new paint and wallpaper face-lift will probably make you see just how dated it is. Replacing the vanity with a new sink and faucet goes a long way to enhance the style and appearance of the room. The installation of a new vanity and countertop, sink, and faucet is straightforward and can most likely use the existing plumbing. A small 24-inch vanity, sink, countertop and faucet cost between $300 and $500, while a larger top-of-the-line unit with double sink and faucets can cost as much as $2,000. In this case, the materials are the largest component of the cost because the installation of a small sink or a large one is roughly the same.

Putting in tile walls and floor

Replacing old or installing new ceramic wall or floor tiles makes a dramatic change in the look of any size bathroom. Tile costs $5 to $8 a square foot installed and is one of the most expensive wall or floor coverings, but if properly installed, it is easy to maintain and will last for years. The cost of materials and labor to install tile depends on the amount or surface area covered. For example, tiling the three walls of a bathtub, approximately 60 to 70 square feet, costs $300 to $400 depending on the condition of the walls and the type of tile. Tiling a floor may cost slightly more than tiling a wall because the subfloor may need to be beefed up to hold the tile.

Upgrading fixtures

Replacing outdated or worn fixtures can give bathrooms a new lease on life. A new toilet, sink, or bathtub can make the whole room appear new. Unless your plumbing is very old, replacing a toilet or sink is straightforward, but swapping out a tub is a major project. To get the most value out of installing new fixtures, combine it with a decorating face-lift- paint or wallpaper- and add new wall accessories.

The following guidelines can help you estimate costs:

To upgrade the sink and toilet in a half bath with midgrade products, expect to pay between $1,500 and $3,000.

To upgrade the sink, toilet, and tub in a full bath with midgrade products, expect to pay between $3,000 and $5,000.

To upgrade the fixtures in a full bath with top-of-the-line products, expect to pay between $8,000 and $15,000.